If you really want to get to know a city, you should always take the time to pay a visit to its museums. Whether it’s a historical exhibit or an art gallery, you can learn a lot about a given country’s citizens, culture and history if you take a look around at their museums.

The Hungarian National Museum could be a good starting point for your cultural tour of Budapest. The centrally located building is a marvel in itself, but its exhibitions are even more impressive. There are world-famous archaeological items and priceless Hungarian treasures on display that guide one through the history of the Carpathian Basin right from its conquest by the Hungarians. From the summer of 2018, you can wonder at the Seuso Treasure, whose adventure-packed story would be worthy of the big screen. It is a good idea to bring your Budapest Card with you, as cardholders can visit the permanent exhibition free of charge. The same goes for the permanent exhibits at The Museum of Fine Arts. 

After a 3-year renovation period, the grandiose building – located on the majestic Heroes Square – opens its gates to visual arts aficionados in November 2018. You can marvel at exquisite works of art encompassing a period from the Antiquity up to the end of the 18th century, including the Roman Hall and the peerless horse sculpture by Leonardo da Vinci.

If you are strolling around Buda Castle, you shouldn’t skip visiting the Hungarian National Gallery. Its collection, displaying the origins and development of the Hungarian visual arts, gives a home to veritable treasures and invites visitors on a thrilling journey into the majestic world of painting. With your Budapest Card, you can visit its permanent exhibits free of charge. However, it is worth taking the time to see its temporary exhibits as well. The current exhibition – on show until 13 January 2019 – gives visitors a thorough overview of the works of Bacon, Freud and the School of London.

Besides the traditional museums, Budapest also offers some true rarities. Visitors can enjoy the Mummies of the World exhibition until 3 December. The centrally located Komplex Centre gives home to the world’s greatest collection of mummies. Curators have borrowed the bodies and artefacts from museums, universities and private collections to make it possible for the public to see these strange historical memorabilia face to face.

There is a plethora of museums that you can visit for free if you bring your Budapest Card with you. It is worth visiting Memento Park, which showcases the statues of the Communist dictatorship and the Cold War era in a way that is entirely unique in the world. We can also head to the city centre and check out the modern visual art institute, which bears the name of Robert Capa, the world-renowned photographer of Hungarian origin. The museum – embellished with the stone benches of Ödön Lechner and the colourful stained glass windows of József Rippl-Rónai – offers intriguing photography exhibitions to the public. At the Ferenc Hopp Museum of Asiatic Arts, you can admire the eponymous globetrotter’s exceptional collection from the Far East, whereas at the Hungarian Museum of Trade and Tourism, you can get acquainted with the cultural relics of the history of the food service and the tourism industry.

Thus, it is worth hitting the road with your Budapest Card in your pocket and exploring these temples of the visual arts and Hungary’s cultural history free of charge.

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